Apparatus for producing decorative sheet material



NOV. 9, 1954 G v, NOBls 2,693,658

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DECORATIVE SHEET MATERIAL Filed April 25, 1,952

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. BY Gauge M M523 Nov. 9, 1954 a. v. NOBIS2,693,658

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DECORATIVE SHEET MATERIAL Filed April 25, 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 2 k INVENTOR.

I age M%J/s EB-m4. MM.

,47'TORNEY Nov. 9, 1954 G. v. NOBIS 2,693,658

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DECORATIVE SHEET MATERIAL Filed April 25. 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 5 V INVENTOR.

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United States Patent APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING DECORATIVE SHEET MATERIALGeorge V. Nobis, Readfield, Maine, assigns:- to Bonafide Mills, lno,Lisbon, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application April 25, 1952, SerialNo. 284,250

2 Claims. (Cl. 41-1) This invention relates to an apparatus forproducing decorative sheet material for wall and floor coverings.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and superior apparatusfor producing sheet material for wall and floor coverings and the likeby which various decorative effects may be produced upon the surface ofthe sheet material in an economical, simplified and practical manner.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the apparatus for producing thedecorative sheet material and in the various structures, arrangementsand combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly definedin the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings Fig. l is a perspective of a suflicient portion of thepresent machine to enable the invention to be understood; Fig. 2 is amore or less diagrammatic View in side elevation of the complete machinefor the application of the colors to the base web and for the productionof the decorative effects; Figs. 3 and 4 are views in perspective andinverted plan respectively of the preferred form of dispersion member;Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are views illustrating the color patterns produced byeach of the several printing blocks; Fig. 8 is a view illustrating theefiect produced by the printing of the color pattern shown in Fig. 6upon the portion of the web to which the color pattern of Fig. has beenapplied; Fig. 9 is a similar view illustrating the effect produced bythe printing of the pattern of Fig. 7 on the pattern of Fig. 8; Fig. 10is a View illustrating one decorative effect produced by dispersion ofthe colors of the sheet shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a detail in sideelevation illustrating the present dispersion member and the preferredangular disposition of the dispersion elements in the direction oftravel of the web; Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the dispersion memberas mounted in the machine; Fig. 13 is a plan view illustrating a portionof one form of decorative sheet which may be produced in accordance withthe present invention; and Figure 14 is a horizontal section through onecorner of the apparatus.

In general, the present invention contemplates a novel apparatus for theproduction of decorative sheet material for wall and floor coverings,wherein color is applied to the fibrous base Web and, provision is madefor moving the color relative to the web to produce a decorative effect.Preferably, the invention contemplates the application of a plurality ofdifferent colored paints to the fibrous base web, preferably in a knownform of intermittently operating block-printing machine, and provisionis preferably made in accordance with the present invention forintermingling or dispersing the different colored paints in a novel andsuperior manner and by novel apparatus to produce various decorativeeffects upon the surface of the sheet material. The intermingling ordispersion of the different colored paints on the surface of the web is,in accordance with the present invention preferably effected by a seriesof spaced individual relatively stiff members each having a limitedamount of inherent flexibility. For convenience of description, suchindividual members will be referred to as dispersion members and inpractice may take the form of small-diameter Wire members. Thesedispersion members are preferably alfixed to a rigid backing to dependtherefrom and form a unit capable of being moved with relation to theweb surface. In the present apparatus the rigid backing member with itsspaced depending dispersion members is mounted to be capable of movementof the web through the machine and so; that the dispersion membersnormally lightly and continuously rest on the surface of the Web. Theserelatively stiff but slightly flexible dispersion members are, arrangedto be oscillated in a direction transversely of: the web but areotherwise stationary with respect to the. frame of the machine.Provision is made for effecting the oscillation of the dispersionmembers during the advancing movement of the web whereby the combinedeffect of the oscillation and the movement of the web operates to causeeach individual dispersion member to engage and move a small incrementof the paint, the net result being to so intermingle and disperse onecolor into another to produce superior and desirable decorative effects,and particularly effects characterized by the absence of streaks andclosely simulating the appearance of natural marble. The decorativeeffect may simulate a cloudy appearance rendering the wall orfloor-covering material suitable for use in simulating a certain type.of marbled effect. The present method and apparatus lend themselves withslight modifications and adjustments to the production of a wide varietyof decorative effects, as will be more completely hereinafter described.

Referring now to the drawings, I have illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, moreor less diagrammatically, a suliicient portion of the essential elementsof a machine for the application of a series of colors to the surface ofthe web of fibrous base material and the dispersion thereof producingthe present decorative sheet, to enable the invention to be understood.The machine may take various forms, preferably the portion of themachine for effecting the application of the colors comprising astandard bloclo printing machine of the intermittently operating typewhich is Well known in the art and has been commercially used for a longperiod of time. Essentially, this machine includes a pair ofweb-advancing belts 10, 12 arranged to run in suitable guides (notshown) lengthwise along the machine and having a series of pins 14projecting upwardly therefrom for piercing the marginal portions of theWeb and advancing the same lengthwise in the machine. In practice, theseweb-advancing belts 10, 12 pass around suitable sprockets, one of whichis indicated at 1.6, and are arranged to intermittently advance the weblengthwise thereof through successive increments, which usually inpractice may comprise 18, 27, 36 inches, or any other increment so as topresent a portion of the web successively under succeeding spacedprinting blocks 20. The printing blocks and the accompanying printingmechanism may comprise those usually employed in prior block-printingmachines of the type referred to, and furthe! illustration ordescription of their operation may be omitted except to state that theblocks are intermittently depressed to apply a plurality of colors tothe underlying portion of the web, and in practice, a series ofdifferent colors may be applied in either overlapping or non-overlappingrelationship by successive blocks of the printing mechanism, dependingupon the ultimate decorative effect that it is desired to produce.

It will be understood that suitable driving mechanism is provided toeffect the timing of the incremental advance of the web 13 by theadvancing belts 10, 12 With relation to the intermittent printingoperation so that in the operation of the machine, after the printingblocks have been depressed to print the colors upon the particularportion of the Web underlying the particular block and are againelevated by the standard cam method, the web is advanced through anincrement which usually in practice comprises 18 inches, but which maybe of any other distance as above indicated.

Provision is made for utilizing this incremental advance of the web in adirection longitudinally for effecting the intermingling and dispersionof the colors which have been previously applied by the printingmechanism, and in accordance with present invention, the desireddecorative effects may be produced by a dispersing member 30 preferablycomprising a relatively large number of 3 I 32. The backing member 32 ispreferbacking' member the machine so that the ends of the wires ablymounted in lightly and continuously engage the surface of the web.

As previously described, in the operation of the machine and inpracticing the present method, the web is intermittently moved in adirection lengthwise of the machine and lengthwise of the web, and theprinting of the plurality of different colors upon the web takes placewhile the web is stationary and between successive increments ofmovement. The dispersion member 30 is mounted so that the wires 31engage the web shortly after the application thereto of the last of thecolors to be marbleized, and during a succeeding incremental movement ofthe web such colors are moved under the wires 31 of the dispersionmember. Provision is made during such incremental advance of the web forimparting a reciprocatory motion to the dispersion member in a directiongenerally transversely of the web and of its movement, and preferably,this movement imparted to the dispersion member takes the form of arelatively small number of rapid but short reciprocations of thedispersion member transversely of the web. As herein shown, the wires 31forming the active portion of the dispersion member are mounted so thatthe entire body of the wires from the marginal portions of the websufliciently to permit the short rapid oscillations or reciprocations ofthe wires in a transverse direction while remaining entirely within themarginal portions of the web so as not to interfere with the movement ofthe web-advancing pins 14 of the marginal belts. In this manner,interference with the incremental advance of the web is prevented whileimparting to the dispersion member the necessary movement which incombination with the longitudinal movement of the web effects thedesired dispersion of individual portions of the fluid and previouslyapplied colors to produce the desired decorative effect.

As shown in Fig. l, the backing member 32 of the dispersion member maybe attached to a rigid elongated bar 33 of substantial width and whichis arranged to extend beyond the sides of the web and between guiderolls 40 mounted on guide brackets 41 attached to the machine frame. Anadditional roller 43 is provided at each side to engage the uppersurface of the bar. The guides at each side of the machine a rigidstructural steel member 44 from which a series of rollers 45 depend toengage the upper surface of the backing 32 and thus insure themaintenance of the backing member in a position to cause the ends of thewires to lightly and continuously engage the surface of the web. The bar33 is provided with an upstanding lug 46 pivotally connected to a link48. The latter is connected to one arm 49 of a bell crank 50. The bellcrank is pivoted in lugs forming a part of the machine frame. The secondarm 52 of the bell crank is pivotally connected by an adjustable link 54to an adjustable eccentric 56 mounted upon a shaft 58 journalled insuitable bearings 59 in a portion of the machine frame, and the shaft 58is arranged to be driven in timed operation to the intermittentmovements of the web-advancing belts 10, 12. As diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. l, the web-advancing belts 10, 12 are driven from asuitable source of power (not shown), and the rotation of the shaft 58upon which the eccentric is mounted is effected through motion impartedthereto from a driven sprocket 60 mounted on the shaft 62 upon which thebelt sprocket 16 is mounted, through a chain 64 running around a smallersprocket 66 and thence through a large sprocket 68 and second chain 69to a small sprocket 70 mounted upon the eccentric shaft 58, asdiagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1. In this manner, when thesprocket 16 is rotated to advance the belts 10, 12 and consequently toadvance the web, the eccentric shaft 58 is rotated and the motion of theeccentric is transmitted through the linkage described to cause rapidreciprocation of the supporting member through a series of shortreciprocations, and when the sprocket 16 is brought to rest at the endof each increment of movement of the web-advancing belts 10, 12, thenthe operation of the eccentric terminates.

From the description thus far, it will be observed that the dispersionmember 30 is not moved in a direction lengthwise in the machine and thatthe only movement imparted thereto occurs during the incrementalmovement of the belts 10, 12 and the web, and that this move ment takesthe form of reciprocatory motion imparted in a direction transversely ofthe web and transversely lies Within and is spaced 4 with relation toits movement through the machine. It will also be observed that the endsof the wires making up the dispersion element remain in contact with thesurface of the web at all times both during the movement of the web andduring its period of rest.

In order to produce most desirable decorative effects, it is preferredto utilize wires in the dispersion member of a size and temper such thateach wire will deflect only to a limited degree when the dispersionmember is moved transversely of the machine and also under the influenceof the moving web upon which it rests. The spacing of one individualwire from the adjacent wires is preferably related to the stiffness ofthe wires and their inherent flexibility so as to prevent adjacent wirescontacting during the operation of the machine, thereby preventing anymass movement by the wires of one color into another. In order to insurethat this result is secured, it is preferred to mount the individualwires making up the dispersion member in a rigid backing member so as toconfine any flexing of the wires to that inherent in their ownflexibility and so that no additional flexing may occur by reason of thecharacter of the backing or the manner of mounting the wires therein.

An important requisite for most successful operation is that the wires31 be properly spaced from one another in order that each wire mayoperate to push its individual amount of color independently of theadjacent wires during the dispersing operation. I have experiencedsatisfactory results utilizing steel wire of approximately .015 inch indiameter arranged in equally spaced relation and with 36 wires persquare inch. The size and spacing may be varied depending upon thestiffness of the wires. I have found that too dense a concentration ofthe wires 31 has the effect of producing some mass movement of thecolors interfering with the production of certain desired decorativeeffects. In addition, the provision of the proper and suificient spacingbetween the individual wires eliminates the necessity of employing anymeans such as 1 a doctor blade in smoothing the surface of the finalhave secured to the top thereof product.

Referring now to Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, I have illustrated more orless diagrammatically the printing color patterns which may be appliedat each printing cycle. In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I have illustrated typicalcolor patterns which may be simultaneously produced upon adacentsections of the base web by the operation of the three printing blocks.At the end of one cycle the web s advanced an increment such as toposition the portion illustrated in Fig. 5 under the second printingblock and at the same time to position the portion illustrated in F1g.under the third printing block so that on the next print ng operationthe color pattern such as is illustrated m F g. 8 is produced.Similarly, at the next cycle of pr1nting operation the portion of thepartially printed web represented by Fig. 8 is moved under the thirdprinting block and printed with the third color producing the colorpattern shown in Fig. 9. After the three colors have been printed asdescribed, the web is moved under and in contact with the dispersionmember 30, and during the movement of the wee, reciprocation of the.dispersion member combined with the movement of the web effects thedispersion of the colors to impart a marbleized and cloudy appearance tothe web as illustrated in Fig. 10. It Wlll be understood that theindividual color patterns may be varied in accordance with thedecorative effect to be produced.

The particular character of the decorative eifect and decorativeappearance of the product produced in accordance with the presentinvention may be varied widely, and several factors enter into thecontrol of the particular eftect produced. For example, it has beenfound that the width of the dispersion member 30, that is the width inthe direction of movement of the web, controls to a substantial extentthe degree of cloudiness in the product shown in F g. 10. satisfactoryresults have been experienced using a dispersion member of a total widthof about 18 inches, and it has been determined that by decreasing thewidth a less cloudy appearance is imparted to the final product, whereasby increasing the width a more cloudy appearance is imparted. Anotherfactor entering into the particular type of decorative effect producedby the dispersion of the various colors one into the other, 1naccordance with the present invention, includes the extent ofreciprocatory motion imparted to the dispersion member from theeccentric 56 through the con nections illustrated. The throw of theeccentric may be adjusted by means of the slot 57 provided in theeccentric and the position of the eccentric block 61 therein. Inaddition, the design of the bell crank may be varied to adjust or obtaindifferent degrees of reciprocations. The adjustability of the link 54provides a means of positioning the dispersion member with relation tothe web, and this is particularly useful in controlling the movement ofthe dispersion member transversely of the movement of the web to confineit within the marginal portions of the web and thus prevent interferencewith the movement of the web-advancing pins 14 of the marginal belts. Inaddition, the exact positioning of the dispersion member is importantwhen it is desired to print border portions upon the Wall covering.

For some purposes it may be desirable to print the borders 72, 74 on themarginal portions of the decorative wall or floor-covering sheet, andthis may be accomplished by the use of the usual form of printing roller(not shown) forming a part of the usual block-printing machine. In orderto permit such borders to be printed, the dispersion member will beprovided with spaces 70 of sufiicient width to take care of thetransverse reciprocation and still leave space sufficient for theprinting of the border.

In the illustrated type of dispersion member and as shown in Figs. 2 and11, the individual dispersion elements therein shown as wires, arearranged at an acute angle with the vertical and extend in the directionof movement of the web as shown. An angle of approximately 15 has beenfound to be satisfactory. In the event that the dispersion member wearsunevenly it is possible by adjustment of the pressure exerted upon thebacking member to insure the maintenance of the entire surface of thedispersion member in contact with the surface of the web. Any wrinklesor unevenness in the web can more readily lift the individual wiresslightly because of this slight angularity of the dispersion members.

In producing the present color dispersion member, I prefer to utilizecard clothing and to render rigid the usual fibrous member through whichthe U-shaped wires of the card clothing are extended by saturating suchmember with a resin of a type capable of hardening into a rigid mass andthen enveloping such member within a coating of such resin. Uponhardening, the resinous mass firmly anchors the wires in the rigidbacking thus produced.

While it is preferred to utilize a dispersion member of the typeembodying wires as above described secured to a fibrous or other rigidbacking member, such as leather, plastic, wood, metal or other suitablematerial, if desired the individual spaced dispersion members and thebacking member may be formed integrally as, for example, by theformation of the entire backing and dispersion elements of nylon orother suitable plastic material.

From the above description it will be observed that in the operation ofthe illustrated machine and in the practicing of the present method, thedispersion member 30 remains in contact with the web at all times andalso that the dispersion equipment occupies no more space than the spaceof one print block of the usual blockprinting machine. The intermittentoperation of the reciprocating dispersion members through a series ofshort reciprocations produces the motion which is at a nonuniform ratepassing from rest at the beginning of each reciprocation to a maximum atabout midway of each reciprocating stroke of the dispersion members.

It will be understood that as used throughout the specification andclaims the term transverse movement is intended to define and includeany movement which it may be desired to impart to the dispersion memberwhich does not coincide with the direction of movement of the web as itis advanced through the machine, so that the dispersing action is causedby a combination of the transverse movement and the movement of the web,such as reciprocation at right angles to the direction of the webmovement and at angles other than a right angle, as well as combinationsof movements including movements in a curved or circular path dependingentirely upon the decorative efiect which it is desired to produce inthe final product.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing a decorative sheet, comprising; means forsupporting and guiding a web of material for movement in a directionlongitudinally thereof, intermittently actuated drive means arranged tointermittently move said web in said direction, means arranged to applya plurality of colors to the upper surface of said web while the latteris stationary, color dispersing means including discrete elementsengaging said applied colors, means mounting said dispersing means oversaid web for rectilinear reciprocation transverse to the direction ofmovement of said Web, said mounting means being arranged to maintainsaid discrete elements at all times in engagement with said colors,actuating means for reciprocating said dispersing means, and a drivingconnection from said intermittently actuated drive means to saidactuating means whereby said discrete elements are reciprocated onlywhen said web is moving and are in contact with said colors at alltimes.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said dispersing meansincludes a substantially rigid base member and wherein said discreteelements are stiff wires secured to said base member and extendingdownwardly therefrom and forwardly in the direction of movement of saidweb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 596,905 McCoy Jan. 4, 1898 1,256,757 Willberg Feb. 19, 19182,233,099 Humphreys Feb. 25, 1951

